P993 Home Canning Questions and Answers

Home Canning: Questions and Answers

Q. What causes jars to break? the point of contact. To prevent impact breaks: A. Several types of breaks can occur. Each break looks different and has • Handle jars carefully. Jars that a specific cause. have been dropped, hit, or bumped break easily. Test new Thermal shock is characterized by a jars that may have been mishan- crack running around the base of dled (to see if they break) by the jar, sometimes extending up the immersing them in room-temper- side. To prevent thermal breakage: ature water, bringing to a boil, • Avoid sudden temperature and boiling 15 minutes. changes, such as putting hot food • Avoid using metal tools to in a cold jar, putting a cold jar in remove air bubbles. hot water, or placing a hot jar on a cool or wet surface. Keep jars in • Avoid using old jars. Jars have a hot water until filled. life expectancy of about 10 years. • Use a rack in the canner. • Avoid using metal knives or spat- ulas to remove air bubbles or steel wool pads to clean jars. An internal pressure break begins on the side of the jar. It is in the form of a vertical crack that forks into two fissures. To prevent pressure breaks: • Provide enough headspace in jars for food to expand when heated. Q. How can I know if a jar of canned • Keep heat steady during process- food is sealed? ing. A. Cool jars for 12 to 24 hours, • Avoid reducing canner pressure remove the screwbands, and test under running water or lifting the seals with one of these options: pressure control or petcock before pressure drops to zero. • Press the middle of the lid with a finger or thumb. If the lid springs Impact breaks start at the point of up when you release your finger, impact, and fissures radiate from the lid is not sealed. • Tap the lid with the bottom of a teaspoon. If • Leaving too little headspace, letting pressure it makes a dull sound, the lid is not sealed. in pressure canner fluctuate, or lowering the If food touches the underside of the lid, it pressure too suddenly. In all of these cases, will also cause a dull sound. If the jar is food particles may be forced between the jar sealed correctly, it will make a ringing, high- and lid, causing sealing failure. pitched sound. • Leaving too much headspace may prevent • Hold the jar at eye level and look across the sealing because the processing time was not lid. The lid should be concave (curved down long enough to exhaust all the air from the slightly in the center). If the center of the lid inside of the jar. is flat or bulging, it may not be sealed. • Not removing air bubbles can have the same Q. When should lids effect as leaving too much headspace. with screwbands be • Putting screwbands on too tightly. tightened on the jars? • Tightening screwbands after removing jars A. Before placing filled from canner. jars in the boiling water- bath canner or pressure- • Reusing lids. Use flat metal lids only once. canner, tightly screw • Defective lids. down screwbands and leave in this tightened • Using commercial or one-trip jars, such as position. Do not tighten for mayonnaise, peanut butter, or baby food. screwbands after processing. Tightening after These jars have slightly different sizes of processing can break the seal. sealing edges and are not recommended for home canning. Q. How tightly should screwbands be put on when closing jars with two-piece lids? Q. Can lids and screwbands be reused? A. Put on screwbands firmly so they are A. Do not reuse flat metal lids with sealing com- handtight. If you put them on too tightly, the pound. Screwbands in good condition may be flat may buckle. reused. Q. What causes lids to buckle? Q. Can food be reprocessed if it was incorrectly processed or if lids failed to seal? A. The buildup of pressure inside jars causes lids to buckle. This is a result of putting screw- A. If no more than 24 hours have gone by since bands on so tightly that air can hardly escape the food was processed, do one of the follow- from the jars during processing. Buckling may ing: cause tiny pinholes in the flat. For this reason, • Refrigerate the food and use it within 2 the food should not be stored on the shelf. days. Within 24 hours of processing, foods can be 1 refrigerated and used within 1 to 2 days, or • Freeze the food. Adjust the headspace to 1 ⁄2 reprocessed. inch and freeze in the jar or place in a recommended freezer container. Drain vegetables Q. What causes lids not to seal? before freezing. A. Failure of lids to seal may be caused by one or • Remove the lid and check the jar-sealing sur- more of the following: face for tiny nicks. If necessary, change the • A chip on the rim of the jar. jar. Always use a new, properly prepared lid and reprocess using the same processing • Not following manufacturer’s directions for time. The quality of reprocessed food is preparing flats. poor. If more than 24 hours have passed • Food particles on jar rim. Always wipe rim since the food was processed, discard it. clean before putting on lids. Q. When should jars be sterilized? water, or by using a fan. Remove the jars immediately when the pressure returns to A. All jams, jellies, and pickled products zero, and cool at room temperature. processed less than 10 minutes should be filled into sterile, empty jars. To sterilize Q. Why do the undersides of metal lids some- empty jars, put them right side up on a rack times discolor? in a boiling-water canner. Fill the canner and A. Natural compounds in some foods corrode jars with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch the metal and make a brown or black deposit above the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes. on the underside of the lid. This deposit is Remove and drain hot sterilized jars one at a harmless. time. Save the hot water for processing filled jars. Q. What makes canned foods change color? Empty jars used for vegetables, meats, and A. Oxidation may cause foods to darken at the fruits to be processed in a pressure canner do tops of jars. Oxidation is from air in the jars or not have to be pre-sterilized. It is also not nec- too little heating or processing to destroy essary to pre-sterilize jars for fruits, tomatoes, enzymes. Overprocessing may discolor foods and pickled or fermented products that will throughout the containers. Pink and blue col- be processed 10 minutes or longer in a boil- ors sometimes seen in canned pears, apples, ing-water canner. and peaches are caused by chemical changes in the coloring matter of the fruit. Iron and Q. What is the best way to clean jars before copper from cooking utensils (or from water canning? in some locations) may cause brown, black, A. Before every use, wash empty jars in hot and gray colors in some foods. When canned water with detergent and rinse well by hand, corn turns brown, the discoloring may be or wash in a dishwasher. Detergent residue because of the variety of the corn, the stage of may cause unnatural flavors and colors. ripeness, overprocessing, or copper or iron These washing methods do not sterilize jars. pans. Packing liquid may dissolve coloring Scale or hard-water films on jars are easily materials from the foods. removed by soaking jars several hours in a Q. Is it safe to eat discolored canned foods? solution containing 1 cup of vinegar (5 percent acidity) per gallon of water. A. The color changes noted do not mean the food is not safe to eat. Spoilage, however, may Q. It is all right to let jars cool in the water in also cause color changes. Before you use any which they were processed? canned food that has an unusual color, exam- A. It is important to remove jars from a boiling- ine it carefully. water canner immediately when the process- Q. Why is open-kettle canning no longer rec- ing time is up. The spores of certain ther- ommended? mophilic, or heat-loving, bacteria can survive boiling-water processing. Because these bacte- A. In open-kettle canning, food is cooked in an ria thrive at high temperatures, they can mul- ordinary kettle, then packed into hot jars and tiply and cause spoilage if canning jars are left sealed without processing. Temperatures in in the hot water to cool slowly. When processing foods in a steam-pressure canner, you remove the canner from the heat source when the processing time is up. You leave jars in the steam-pressure canner until the pressure returns to zero naturally. This period of time, after jars are removed from heat until the pressure reaches zero, is considered part of the processing time and is necessary for destruction of microorganisms. Do not rush this cooling by placing the canner under open-kettle canning are not high enough to parts are rusty. A weighted gauge does not destroy spoilage organisms that may be in get out of adjustment and does not need to be food. Spoilage bacteria may also enter the checked for accuracy. It does need to be food when it is transferred from kettle to jar. cleaned. Open-kettle canning is not recommended. Q. Can I use a pressure saucepan for home can- Q. Why is headspace important in canning? ning low-acid foods? A. Headspace is the distance between the surface A. Pressure saucepans are not recommended for of food and the underside of the lid. This canning. space lets food expand as liquid bubbles up during processing. If there is not enough headspace, some food in the container will be forced out, leaving food particles or syrup on the sealing surface and preventing a seal. When there is too much headspace, some air may remain in the jar after processing, causing food at the top of the jar to darken. Adequate headspace allows a vacuum to form during the processing of the food. Q. Can I use a microwave oven for home can- Q. Why is liquid sometimes lost from glass jars ning? during processing? A. No. Low-acid foods must be processed at A. The most common reasons for loss of liquid 240 ºF. A microwave can reach only 212 ºF. are packing jars too full, packing food too Even acid foods must have the uniform heat tightly into jars, changing pressure in a pres- provided by a conventional water-bath can- sure canner, or lowering pressure too sudden- ner. Because of its uneven heating pattern, a ly. If all air bubbles are not removed from jars microwave does not assure consistent heat to before processing, the liquid may be lower in each jar during processing. There also is a jars after processing. danger that jars will explode during heating Q. Should liquid lost during processing be or as you remove the jars from the oven. replaced? Q. Can I use a conventional oven to process foods? A. No, never open a jar and refill with liquid (this would let in bacteria, and you would A. Oven canning is extremely dangerous and need to process again). Loss of liquid does not definitely not a recommended procedure. cause food to spoil, though food above the The risk of jars breaking during heating, liquid may darken. when the oven door is opened, or when you Q. Is it safe to use home-canned food if liquid remove jars from the oven is extremely great. is cloudy? The danger of inadequate processing can also pose a health risk. Heat transfer in the oven is A. Cloudy liquid may be a sign of spoilage, but uneven, and the food does not reach high it may be caused by the minerals in hard enough temperatures. Oven canning is dan- water or by starch from overripe vegetables. gerous and not recommended. If liquid is cloudy, boil the food. Do not taste Q. Is a steam canner safe for canning foods at or use any food that foams during heating or home? has an off-odor. Q. How often should I check a pressure-canner A. A steam canner is not the same as a pressure gauge? canner. Steam canners are not recommended for home canning because processing times A. Check dial gauges each year. Check them for use with current models have not been more often if the lid is dropped or submerged adequately researched. Because steam canners in water, if the gauge glass is broken, or any do not heat foods in the same manner as do boiling-water canners or pressure canners, Q. How long will using them with boiling-water process times canned food may result in spoilage. keep? Q. How can I safely dispose of spoiled, home- A. Properly canned food and clean the jars? canned food stored in a A. Spoiled low-acid foods, including tomatoes, cool, dry place may show different kinds of spoilage evi- will retain dence or very little evidence. Therefore, you optimum eat- should treat all suspect containers of spoiled ing quality for low-acid foods, including tomatoes, as having at least 1 year. produced botulinum toxin and handle them Canned food stored in a warm place near hot carefully in one of two ways: pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sun- • If the swollen metal cans or suspected glass light may lose some of its eating quality in a jars are still sealed, place them in a heavy few weeks or months, depending on the tem- garbage bag. Close and place the bag in a perature. Dampness may corrode cans or regular trash container or bury in a nearby metal lids and cause leakage so the food will landfill. spoil. • If the suspect cans or glass jars are unsealed, Q. Can I process two layers of jars in a canner open, or leaking, you should detoxify them at one time? before throwing them away. To detoxify: A. Yes, you can process two layers at one time, in Carefully place the suspect containers and either the boiling water bath or pressure can- lids on their sides in an 8-quart or larger ner. Place a small wire rack between the lay- stock pot, pan, or boiling-water canner. ers so water or steam will circulate around Wash your hands thoroughly. Carefully add each jar. Make sure the water covers the tops water to the pot. The water should com- of all jars by 1 inch in a boiling water bath pletely cover the container with at least canner. The pressure canner should have 2–3 1 inch level above the containers. Avoid inches of water in the bottom. splashing the water. Place a lid on the pot, and heat the water to boiling. Boil 30 min- Q. Is it necessary to exhaust a pressure canner? utes to ensure detoxifying the food and all A. Yes, it is very important to let steam escape container components. Cool and discard the for 10 minutes before closing the valve or containers, their lids, and food in the trash, placing the weight on the vent. If the canner or bury in the soil. Thoroughly scrub all is not exhausted, the inside temperature may counters, containers, and equipment, includ- not correspond to the pressure on the gauge. ing can opener, clothing, and hands that may have been in Q. Can I can bread or cake in a jar? contact with the A. These products are not recommended for can- food or contain- ning; choose recipes that you can freeze. In ers. Discard any fact, most of these products are not really sponges or “canned.” The directions call for baking in the wash cloths you jar and then closing with a canning lid. Many used in the recipes for quick breads and cakes are low- cleanup. Place acid and can support the growth of a bacteria them in a plas- like Clostridium botulinum if it is present tic bag and dis- inside the closed jar. card in the trash. Q. How do I can oil with herbs? Is it possible Q. Why does canned fruit sometimes float in to can pesto? jars? A. Herbs and oils are both low-acid and together A. Fruit may float because the pack is too loose can support growth of the disease-causing or syrup too heavy or because some air Clostridium botulinum bacteria. You may fla- remains in tissues of the fruit after heating vor oils with herbs if you make them up for and processing. fresh use, store them in the refrigerator, and Q. Is it a good practice to puree and home can use within 2 to 3 days. There are no canning foods for infants? recommendations. Fresh herbs must be washed well and dried completely before you A. If you have time and the food, this may be a store them in the oil. You must use the very worthwhile activity—except for carrots, beets, best sanitation and personal hygiene prac- and spinach. These three vegetables are more tices. Pesto is an uncooked seasoning mixture difficult to clean and sterilize than are others, of herbs, usually including fresh basil, and and they may pick up soil nitrates. The intes- some oil. It may be frozen for long-term stor- tinal tracts of infants are unable to handle age; there are no home canning recommenda- these soil nitrates properly. Procedures used tions. in commercial canning of carrots, beets, and spinach for infants make these foods unques- tionably safe. Chunk-style or pureed fruit with or without sugar can be canned. Pack in half-pint (prefer- ably) or pint jars and process for 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Do not attempt to can pureed vegetables, red meats, or poultry meats, because proper processing times for pureed foods have not been determined for home use. Instead, can and store these foods using the standard processing procedures; puree or blend them at serving time. Heat the blended foods to boiling, Fruits and Vegetables simmer for 10 minutes, cool, and serve. Store Q. Why should I use a steam-pressure canner unused portions in the refrigerator and use for canning vegetables? within 2 days. A. Higher temperatures are required to destroy botulinum bacteria in low-acid food such as meats, fish, poultry, and all vegetables except tomatoes. The only safe way to can these foods is by using a pressure canner, which provides temperatures (240 ºF) higher than that of boiling water (212 ºF). Q. Is it safe to can without salt and sugar? A. Salt and sugar are not necessary for safe processing of fruits and vegetable. The salt in recipes for pickled products and sugar in jams, preserves, and jellies should not be reduced, since the measures given are needed to provide good quality. Q. There is mold on the surface of my home- canned tomatoes, applesauce, and jelly. Is it all right to remove the mold and use the food? A. Discard any home-canned food with mold on or in the food. It could be dangerous. It is possible for mold growing on the surface to lower the acidity of the food. If the food becomes low enough in acid, botulism-pro- ducing bacteria can start to grow and produce toxin. Even if you scrape the mold off the sur- Q. Why do tomatoes need to be acidified face, the toxin remains in the food. Molds, before canning? too, produce toxin, so you should discard the A. Tomatoes usually are considered an acid food, food. but the results of some growing conditions Q. Can fruit be canned with artificial sweeten- have put pH values only slightly above the ers? safe pH level. If you are canning them as an A. Canning with artificial sweeteners or sugar acid food, you must acidify them. To acidify, substitutes is not recommended. Artificial add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1 sweeteners may lose some of their sweetening ⁄2 teaspoon citric acid per quart. Add acid power when heated and may become bitter. directly to the jars before filling with product. Can fruit in water or Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. You unsweetened juice, and may use 4 tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity add the sugar substitute vinegar per quart instead of lemon juice or when serving. citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes. Do not use fresh lemon Q. Can fruits and vegeta- juice, since its acidity varies. bles be canned without heating if aspirin is Q. What are important factors in preparing used? tomatoes for home canning? A. No. Aspirin should not A. Use ripe, juicy tomatoes. Never use overripe be used in canning. It tomatoes, because tomatoes lose acidity as cannot be relied on to they mature. Tomatoes with soft or decayed prevent spoilage or to give satisfactory prod- areas are not suitable for canning. Be careful ucts. Adequate heat treatment is the only safe to remove all of the stem and green parts. procedure. Acidify each jar according to the procedure above. Q. Is it safe to can green beans in a boiling water bath if vinegar is used? Q. Does ascorbic acid help keep fruits and vegetables from darkening? A. No. You must use recommended processing

1 methods to assure safety. You cannot shorten A. Yes. Adding ⁄4 teaspoon of crystalline ascorbic recommended processing times if you use acid (vitamin C) to a quart of fruit or veg- vinegar in canning fresh vegetables (this does etable before it is processed retards oxidation, not refer to pickled vegetables). which is one cause of darkening. You can use ascorbic acid preparations containing sugar Q. Should I precook all vegetables before can- with fruits in proportions suggested by the ning? manufacturer. A. For best quality, yes. However, some vegetables can be packed raw or cold into jars before being processed in the pressure canner. Q. What vegetables expand instead of shrink enough, or was not properly packed in jars. during processing? To help prevent floating fruit, remove pan from heat as soon as jam is cooked; then alter- A. Corn, peas, and lima beans are starchy and nately stir and skim the jam for 5 minutes. expand during processing. You should pack them loosely. Q. Is it necessary to process jams and preserves in a boiling water bath canner? Q. What causes corn to turn brown during processing? A. Yes. This prevents growth of molds and yeasts that could cause food spoilage and A. This occurs most often when too high a tem- quality changes. perature is used, causing caramelization of the sugar in the corn. It may also be caused Q. Why do crystals form in jelly? by some minerals in the water used in can- A. Crystals throughout the jelly may be caused ning. by too much sugar in the jelly mixture or by Q. Why is canning summer squash or zucchini cooking the mixture too little, too slowly, or not recommended? too long. Evaporation of liquid causes crystals that form at the top of jelly that has been A. Recommendations for canning summer opened and allowed squashes, including zucchini, have been with- to stand. Crystals in drawn because of uncertainty about process- grape jelly may be ing times. Squashes are low-acid vegetables tartrate crystals. (To and require pressure canning for a known prevent tartrate crys- period of time that will destroy the bacteria tals in grape jelly, let that cause botulism. It is best to freeze sum- juice stand in a cool mer squashes, but you may also dry them. place overnight, Q. Can I can my own salsa recipe? then strain through A. Salsas are usually mixtures of acid and low- two thicknesses of acid ingredients; they are an example of an damp cheesecloth to acidified food. The specific recipe, and some- remove crystals.) times preparation method, will determine if a Q. What causes jelly to be too soft? salsa can be processed in a boiling water can- A. One or more of these may be the cause: Too ner or a pressure canner. A process must be much juice in the mixture. Too little sugar. scientifically determined for each recipe. Mixture not acid enough. Making too big a batch at one time. Q. What can be done to make soft jellies firmer? A. You can sometimes improve soft jellies by recooking according to the directions. It is best to recook only 4–6 cups of jelly at a time. To remake with powdered pectin: Measure the jelly to be recooked. For each quart of 1 1 jelly, measure ⁄4 cup sugar, ⁄4 cup water, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin. Mix the pectin and water and bring to a boil, stirring con- Jellies, Jams, and Preserves stantly to prevent scorching. Add the jelly and sugar. Stir thoroughly. Bring to a full, rolling Q. Why does fruit float in jam? boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 A. Fruit was not fully ripe, was not thoroughly mixture hard for ⁄2 minute. Remove jelly from crushed or ground, was not cooked long the heat, skim, pour into hot containers, seal, and process 5 minutes. To remake with liquid pectin: Measure the Q. What makes jelly cloudy? jelly to be recooked. For each quart of jelly, 3 A. One or more of these may cause cloudy jelly: measure ⁄4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons liquid pectin. Bring • Pouring jelly mixture into jars too slowly. jelly to a boil over high heat. Quickly add the • Allowing jelly mixture to stand before it is sugar, lemon juice, and pectin and bring to a poured. full rolling boil. Stir constantly. Boil mixture hard for 1 minute. Remove jelly from the • Juice was not properly strained and con- heat, skim, pour into hot containers, seal, and tained pulp. process 5 minutes in a water bath canner. • Jelly set too fast, usually the result of using too-green fruit. Q. What makes jelly gummy? A. Overcooking. Q. Can I use commercial canned or frozen fruit juice to make jelly? A. It is best to use commercially canned or frozen fruit juice only in recipes with added pectin. Because you use fully ripe fruit, the amount of pectin in commercial juice may be too low to get a satisfactory gel without Q. What makes jelly syrupy? added pectin. A. Too little pectin, acid, or sugar. Too much Q. If I am making jelly or jam with liquid sugar can also cause syrupy jelly. pectin, when do I add it? Q. What causes weeping jelly? A. You add liquid pectin to the cooked juice or A. Too much acid. Storage place was too warm fruit and sugar mixture immediately after you or storage temperature fluctuated. remove it from the heat. Q. What makes jelly too stiff? Q. If I am making jelly or jam with powdered A. Too much pectin (fruit was not ripe enough or pectin, when do I add it? too much pectin added) or overcooking. A. You add powdered pectin to the unheated Q. What causes fermentation of jelly? fruit juice or crushed fruit. A. Too little sugar or improper sealing. Q. How do I prepare paraffin for sealing jelly? Q. Why does mold form on jelly or jam? A. Paraffin is no longer recommended for sealing jellies or any other sweet spread because A. Because an imperfect seal has made it possi- of the potential for mold growth. All sweet ble for mold and air to get into the container. spreads Q. What causes jelly or jam to darken at the top should be of the container? sealed with two-piece, self- A. Stored in too warm a place, or a faulty seal sealing lids allows air to leak in. and processed Q. What causes jelly and jam to fade? for 5 minutes in a boiling A. Too warm a storage place or too long storage. water canner. Red fruits (such as strawberries and raspber- ries) are especially likely to fade. Q. Can I double a recipe for jam or jelly? the mixed product to prevent the growth of botulinum bacteria. A. Never double a jelly or jam recipe. If you cook a double batch of jelly or jam for the usual Q. What causes pickles to taste bitter? time, it will be undercooked, which means the A. There are several possible causes for bitter- jelly or jam will be soft and runny. If boiled tasting pickles, including these: longer, it will have a caramelized flavor and dark color. • Growing conditions. • Variety. Some varieties are more bitter than others. Use a variety specifically for pickling. • The short soaking in a salt brine, called for in many recipes, will help draw out bitter juices. • The bitter taste is usually more concentrat- ed at the stem end of the fruit rather than the blossom end and in the skin or directly beneath the skin, not in the fleshy area around the seeds. Taste a small portion of the stem end before preparing cucumbers. If bitterness is present, often you can remove it by cutting a larger portion off the Pickles and Relishes stem end and by peeling more deeply than Q. What kind of container should I use for usual. Although you cannot use peeled making pickles? cucumbers to make pickles, you could chop them and use them to prepare relishes. A. Use utensils of unchipped enamelware, stainless steel, aluminum, or glass for heating • Using a salt substitute for pickling could pickling liquids. Do not use copper, brass, gal- also cause bitterness. Use only canning or vanized, or iron utensils. These metals may pickling salt. react with acids or salts and cause undesirable color changes in pickles or form undesirable compounds. Do not store pickling liquid in stainless steel or aluminum utensils. Pitting will occur. Use a crock or stone jar, unchipped enamel- lined pan, or large glass jar, bowl, or casserole for fermenting or brining. Stainless steel containers are not recommended for brining pick- Q. What causes pickles to be hollow? les because pitting of the container will occur A. Hollowness in pickles usually results from over time because salt in the brine is corro- poorly developed cucumbers, keeping sive. cucumbers too long before pickling, too rapid Q. Can I safely change a pickle or relish recipe? fermentation, or too strong or too weak a brine during fermentation. A. The level of acidity in a pickled product is as important to its safety as it is to taste and tex- Q. What causes soft or slippery pickles? ture. Do not alter vinegar, food, or water pro- A. These generally result from microbes, which portions in a recipe or use a vinegar with cause spoilage. Once a pickle becomes soft, it unknown acidity. Use only recipes with tested cannot be made firm. Microbes may be proportions of ingredients. There must be a caused by too little salt or acid, cucumbers minimum, uniform level of acid throughout not covered with brine during fermentation, or scum scattered tion, uneven distribution of salt, or air pockets throughout the brine caused by improper packing. during fermentation. Q. When making quick process pickles, can I Other causes are not store any leftover pickling solution for enough heat, a seal that future use? is not airtight, and moldy garlic or spices. A. If the pickling solution is fresh and you have Blossoms, if not entirely not used it to make pickles, cover it and store removed from the it in the refrigerator to use later. If you have cucumbers before fer- used the pickling solution, you can store it in mentation, may contain fungi or yeasts the refrigerator and reuse it in 1 or 2 days for responsible for softening of pickles. barbeque sauce, coleslaw dressing, or mari- nade. If mold growth occurs, throw it out. Q. Why do some pickles turn dark? Q. Why did the liquid in my dill pickles turn A. Using ground spices, too much spice, iodized pink? salt, overcooking, using iron utensils, and minerals in water, especially iron, may cause A. Using overmature dill may cause this. If so, darkness in pickles. the product is still safe. However, yeast growth could also cause this. If yeast growth Q. What causes shriveled pickles? is evident, discard the pickles. Yeast growth A. Shriveling may result from using too strong a may also make pickles cloudy or slimy. vinegar, sugar, or salt solution at the start of Q. I don’t have the type of dill my recipe calls pickling. In making very sweet or very sour for. How can I substitute what I have? pickles, you whould start with a dilute solution and increase it gradually to the desired A. For each quart, try three heads of fresh dill or strength. Overcooking or overprocessing also 1–2 tablespoons dill seed (dill weed = 2T). causes shriveling. Q. Can I use burpless cucumbers for pickling? Q. Why should I process pickles in a boiling- A. Burpless cucumbers are not recommended for water-bath canner? use in fermented pickles. This is because at A. Pickle products require heat treatment to their normal mature size, they produce a soft- destroy organisms that cause spoilage and to ening enzyme that causes the pickles to soften inactivate enzymes that may affect flavor, during fermentation. However, if you use color, and texture. There is always danger of smaller burpless cucumbers (those with small spoilage organisms entering the food when seeds), they may be suitable for making fresh you transfer it from kettle to jar. Adequate pack pickles. The skins on burpless cucum- heating is best achieved by processing in a bers may be tough. boiling-water-bath canner. Q. I have an old recipe that calls for adding a Q. Why does sauerkraut turn dark? grape leaf to each jar of pickles. Why? A. Darkness in sauerkraut may be caused by A. Grape leaves contain a substance that slows unwashed and improperly trimmed cabbage, the enzymes that no enough juice to cover fermenting cabbage, make pickles soft. uneven distribution of salt, exposure to air, However, removing high temperatures during fermentation, pro- the blossom ends cessing and storage, and long storage period. (the source of undesirable enzymes) Q. What contributes to an undesirable softness will make adding in kraut? grape leaves unnec- A. Softness in kraut may result from not enough essary. salt, temperatures too high during fermenta- Q. Why did the garlic cloves in my pickles turn green or bluish green? A. This reaction may be because of iron, tin, or aluminum in your cooking pot, water, or water pipes reacting with the pigments in the garlic. Or, the garlic may naturally have more bluish pigment, and it is more evident after pickling. Immature bulbs should be cured 2–4 weeks at 70 ºF. The pickles are safe to eat.

Q. I accidentally limed my pickles in an aluminum pan. Will they be safe to eat? A. Aluminum is not recommended for use with lime because the lime can pit the container, increasing the aluminum content of the fin- ished product. This is not a procedure you would want to do each time you made pickles. However, one batch of pickles should not cause health problems. If the container, however, is badly pitted, the best option would be to discard it. Q. I would like to make sweet pickles, but I am diabetic. Can I use an artificial sweetener? A. The best approach is to take dill pickle slices, rinse to remove the salty flavor, and sprinkle with artificial sweetener. Allow these to sit in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before use. Substituting artificial sweeteners for the sugar in sweet pickle recipes is not recommended.

Publication 993 (POD-01-16)

Distributed by Brent Fountain, PhD, RD, LD, Associate Extension Professor, Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion.

Copyright 2016 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributed without alteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Produced by Agricultural Communications. We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other charac- teristic protected by law. Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in fur- therance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director